


Beating of Our Hearts is the Only Sound

by TortiTabby



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Adult Losers Club (IT), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eddie Kaspbrak Lives, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Reddie, Secret Relationship, Songfic, Teenage Losers Club (IT)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21919978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TortiTabby/pseuds/TortiTabby
Summary: "With Richie’s hand warm in his own, Eddie felt saved."I think we're alone now,The beating of our hearts is the only sound
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 11
Kudos: 60





	Beating of Our Hearts is the Only Sound

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to Jude for helping me with this fic and beta reading for me! You're a lifesaver and I'm so glad I didn't just knee-jerk post it like I almost did lol
> 
> The song is "I think we're alone now" by Tiffany

_ Children behave, that's what they say when we're together _

_ And watch how you play _

_ They don't understand _

  
  


“I can’t believe you got us detention. Do you have any idea how much my mom is going to kill me now, Richie? Do you realize that? Do you?” 

Richie flicked his pencil across the room at Eddie and gave him a triumphant smirk. 

“I’m sure she’ll tell me all about it tonight when we’re in bed, Eds.”

“Shut up, Trashmouth. Don’t call me that.” 

Richie smiled the same way that always got under Eddie's skin. 

Their teacher slammed his books down on his desk exasperatedly. 

“Mr. Kaspbrak and Mr. Tozier I will see you for detention again tomorrow since you decided to chat the entire time today. You’re dismissed for now.” Their teacher stood and stalked out of the room before either of them had a chance to protest. Eddie tried not to laugh at Richie flipping the teacher off behind his back. 

_ And so we're _

_ Running just as fast as we can, holding on to one another hands _

_ Trying to get away into the night and then you put your arms around me _

_ And we tumble to the ground and then you say _

“Hurry up, come  _ on _ , Eds Spegheds!” They were roaring with laughter, Richie pulling on Eddie’s arm and practically dragging him along. Somewhere behind them Bill was pedaling after them, furious that Richie snatched the new comic book he’d been saving up for and finally got. 

“We’ll take it back once we’ve read it.” He justified with Eddie, who honestly couldn’t argue. He had been waiting for the new issue to come out and hey, you snooze you lose, and Bill snoozed.

They ducked down into the clubhouse and Eddie resisted the urge to wrinkle his nose at all the spiderwebs. He wasn’t as scared as he used to be. The losers club had learned to be brave together. Eddie never thought he would have the guts to stand up and fight for what was right, to fight for his friends. But he had. 

He glanced over at Richie. Warmth start at his toes and went straight up to his gut where it twisted with happiness and darker more confusing thoughts. 

_ I think we're alone now, _

_ There doesn't seem to be anyone around _

_ I think we're alone now, _

_ The beating of our hearts is the only sound _

Eddie shook out of his stupor and stood up straight. All business. 

“I’m reading first.” 

Richie scoffed and rolled his eyes, already putting on a show even with just Eddie as an audience. “No you’re not, Eds. That’s where you’re wrong. I’m going to read it first and then I’ll let you. I nabbed it, I get first dibs” 

Eddie shook his head but Richie hurried on.

“You can read one of the old comics we have laying around or catch up with one of the other series.”

“No!  _ I _ thought of coming to the club house. We wouldn’t have even gotten away if we followed your shitty plan!”

“It was my idea to take it from Bill in the first place! You can read it while I bang your mom.” 

“Beep beep Richie.” 

Richie grabbed the comic and tried to run but Eddie saw it coming and tackled him to the ground.

“No!”   
They tumbled around the clubhouse floor, dirt clinging to both of them in a way that still made Eddie’s skin crawl.

“Eddie, watch your bad arm. You’re going to fuck it up again.” Richie pinned Eddie down and examined his forearm with a soft sort of care.

“I’m fine, Richie. It’s literally been fine for a few years now.” Eddie meant for it to come out annoyed and chastising, but could hear how gently he whispered. 

It became glaringly apparent that it was just the two of them. 

Richie blinked down at him, his dark eyes magnified behind his glasses. They froze in silence. 

Eddie looked down at Richie’s lips and flicked his eyes back up to Richie, who suddenly slammed their lips together and kissed him like his life depended on it. 

Eddie grabbed the back of his head with his good hand and eagerly kissed him back. He never thought this would happen. That stupid fucking clown almost took so much away from them but now he had  _ everything _ . 

Richie leaned back and stared at Eddie with shining eyes. Vulnerability was never his strong point and Eddie could see the nerves pushing him out of his own skin.

“Your mom kisses better-”

“Beep  _ fucking _ beep, Richie!”

_ Look at the way we gotta hide what we're doin' _

_ 'Cause what would they say _

_ If they ever knew _

After that, Eddie found himself with his lips locked with Richie’s more often than not after that every moment they had alone together. 

Neither of them spoke about it. 

Eddie wanted to, but at the same time he wasn’t sure he was ready to face any answers he got. The one time Eddie had tried Richie put a wall up with a stony expression and an excuse to go home early. It took a full week for things to go back to normal between the two. 

He supposed it wasn’t  _ really _ hurting anybody if they kept going how they were.

Eddie’s fingers were tangled in Richie’s hair and he groaned at the sensation of Richie’s blunt nails biting into the skin on his hips. He groaned into Richie’s mouth who just kissed him with more fervor. 

Richie was pushing Eddie’s shirt up when Ben started his way down into the clubhouse, loudly discussing something that didn’t really matter with Mike and Bev.

Richie was on the other side of the little room before Eddie knew what had happened. It was like what they had between them was so wrong. It was a dirty little secret and Eddie didn’t care for dirty or messy things of any sort. He felt his stomach twist. He blinked over at the other Losers and pushed his shirt down hastily. 

“Eddie are you okay? Why are you on the ground?” Bev sounded alarmed and hurried over to help him up. 

“He’s just a klutz, you know how he is.” Richie piped up. He was holding a comic book in front of his glowing face. 

“Shut your face, Trashmouth.” It came out surprisingly full of venom.

Richie locked eyes with him briefly. They were full of hurt and disappointment. Eddie’s heart ached as the rest of him boiled over with rage. 

“Well we were just grabbing Stan’s backpack, he left it down here. We’re all going over at his tonight. We were looking for you two, do you want to go with?” Mike asked, oblivious to the silent conversation he split between them. 

“Sure. I’m in. Eds?”

Eddie shrugged. “I’ll have to talk to my mom but I’m sure I could convince her.”

“Okay we have to stop by the library, I forgot something there. We should go now.” Beverley said. Eddie didn’t miss the way her eyes washed over him the two of them back and forth knowingly. Eddie hoped Richie didn’t notice.

_ And so we're _

_ Running just as fast as we can, holding on to one another hands _

_ Trying to get away into the night and then you put your arms around me _

_ And we tumble to the ground and then you say _

“Eds, come  _ on _ .” Eddie’s hand was laced with Richie’s. It was odd to think of them being the same hands. They were older and weathered and somewhat unfamiliar even after decades apart Eddie still felt like he knew Richie better than anyone. 

They were running out of the sewer, disgusting water splashing up their legs and making Eddie’s hands itch to grab for his inhaler or some sort of medication to make himself clean and safe.

“You’re okay, Eds, come on.” 

He let Richie pull him further down the tunnel and tried to ignore the sound of the entire place coming down around them.

“You’re okay, you’re alright.”

Eddie chanced a glance down at his shoulder. Richie had rolled him out of the way with reflexes none of them would have been able to anticipate, saving him from Pennywise’s piercing claw. Eddie knew he would have died. He had a hole through his shoulder that wouldn’t be viable anywhere near any vital organs. 

With Richie’s hand warm in his own, Eddie  _ felt _ saved. 

They weren’t even out of the sewer and Eddie felt alive for the first time in twenty seven years. 

He squeezed Richie’s hand tight as they broke daylight. 

They rolled into the dirt, still clinging onto one another. 

“Eddie? Let’s take him somewhere now! Are you-”

Eddie surged forward and pressed his lips to Richie’s. It was slow and languid and felt like coming home after twenty seven long years of being gone. 

The rest of their friends whooped and cheered excitedly around them. Eddie smiled against Richie’s lips when he flipped them all off. 

They were alive. The clown was dead,  _ for real this time _ , and they were surrounded by the warmth and love of their friends. 

Richie pressed his forehead to Eddie’s. 

The world melted away from around them and Eddie knew deep in his bones there was no way he would ever forget Richie Tozier again.

_ The beating of our hearts is the only sound _

  
  
  


  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think and if you liked it!  
>   
>  If you would like to you can reblog it on tumblr here!!!  
>  **very** appreciated!


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